Countdown to Champions League final: Real Madrid are acting like they’ve been here before, because they have

Happy Wednesday! As the countdown continues ahead of Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final, another trophy will be handed out in Europe on Wednesday when Olympiacos face Fiorentina in the UEFA Europa Conference League final. I’m Pardeep Cattry and I do a cutlery-themed midweek check-in.

Football correction

All times US/East

Wednesday, May 29th
UECL: Olympiacos x Fiorentina, 3pm Paramount+
MLS: Austin x Portland Timbers, 8:30 pm FS1, Apple TV+

The hotline

Is this Champions League for Real Madrid to lose?

Few things are as common in European football’s elite as Real Madrid competing in a Champions League final: the Spanish champions will compete for the trophy for the 18th time on Saturday, when they will have the chance to win their 15th title. Five of those victories have come in the last 10 years, providing Carlo Ancelotti with a sense of familiarity and calm despite going into Wembley Stadium as a heavy favourite. As midfielder Aurelien Tchouamni describes, the team is keeping the final preparations quite simple ahead of the clash with Borussia Dortmund.

• Tchouameni: “We’re just preparing for this game. I feel like everyone is ready to compete. … I feel like everyone should keep the same routine. , we stay focused and ready, so that’s the most important thing. In fact, we don’t need to change many things because that’s the most important thing. [thing] be ready on Saturday.”

Real Madrid’s historic confidence has not diminished in recent months, considering they reached the final after a season of dominance in Spain and Europe. This includes winning their first La Liga title since 2022, losing just one game in the domestic league and finishing 10 points above second-placed Barcelona. The team also reaches the Champions League final after an unbeaten campaign in Europe, most impressively defeating Manchester City on penalties in the quarter-finals after a 4-4 aggregate scoreline. Ancelotti can rely on experienced players such as midfielder Toni Kroos, who has four Champions League titles with Real Madrid and will retire this summer, but his ability to stay at the top has been boosted by a constant upgrade of the squad.

The team’s hottest player may actually be debutant Jude Bellingham, who began his time in the Spanish capital with four Champions League goals during the group stage but evolved into a more behind-the-scenes role as the season progressed. advanced. However, his form has not deteriorated and he is quickly gaining a sense of security despite playing for the Champions League trophy for the first time on Saturday.

• Bellingham: “I think the first half [of the season], I was obviously scoring a lot of goals and that was fun. Second half, maybe still some, but not as many, but I actually think the performance has probably improved. I think that in general I became more comfortable in the team, I have even more freedom to move around the field. I know my own game more than anyone and I don’t always need to score to make an impact.”

Real Madrid’s confidence is usually a hallmark of theirs every season, but it has been especially so this year. They often look tactically unbalanced, especially in Europe – despite being in the Champions League’s top four in several attacking categories, including goals per game (2.11) and expected goals per game (1.97), they are 19th in shot percentage at 33.8. %. They have also been a bit porous at the back, conceding an average of 1.22 goals per game en route to the final. Despite its imperfections, Real Madrid are back where they hope to be through a combination of tangible quality, which they have in spades thanks to the squad they have assembled, and intangible strengths. They seem to outperform most European teams in both categories, but Real Madrid’s good-vibes season still has one more test ahead. Whether or not they can do this is the ultimate question.

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Olympiacos and Fiorentina compete in the Conference League

Before the eyes of the football world turn to London on Saturday, Olympiacos and Fiorentina will compete for the Conference League trophy on Wednesday in the Athens suburb of Nea Filadelfeia. The Italian team are the big favorites, continuing their recent habit of great cup successes – they reached last season’s Coppa Italia final and the Conference League final. They lost on both occasions to Inter and West Ham United respectively, meaning there is added pressure to overcome the hurdle of last year’s disappointmentst, according to Charlie Davies.

• Davies: “Sometimes in finals, the pressure to maybe not be so aggressive, to keep him around, to wait for the perfect moments. If they don’t come or if you miss that opportunity, it’s a mess because it’s very easy to get caught up in the [feeling of], ‘Last game, it’s a final. We can’t take those risks, we have to be calculated,’ and rather than just playing aggressive, playing like it’s any other game – even if it isn’t – that’s usually what allows you to have more chances in a final. “

A Fiorentina win will likely require a big performance from Lucas Beltran, who has scored four goals in the Conference League this season, while the 4-3 aggregate win over Club Brugge in the semi-finals will inspire some confidence. This is also expected to be the last match in charge of Vincenzo Italiano, who avoided questions about his future before the match, but intends to leave Fiorentina on a highby Francesco Porzio.

• Porzio: “I think Fiorentina also has a chance, because they will have extra motivation. The Italian is one of them. The Italian wants to leave the club with a trophy, but he also wants to remember Joe Barone, the former vice-president of the club who unfortunately passed away a few weeks ago, I think that Fiorentina, the whole team, wants to give Barone, in his memory, a trophy because he really deserved it and really wanted to win a cup with the club.”

However, there is no reason to sleep on this Olympiacos team, who can boast of their own achievements heading into the final. They are the first Greek team to reach the final of a European club competition and are now led by José Luis Mendilibar, whose record includes winning the Europa League last season with Sevilla. Golden Boot leader Ayoub El Kaabi has also distinguished himself with 10 goals this campaign, half of them in Olympiacos’ 6-2 aggregate defeat of Aston Villa in the semi-finals. They will also have the advantage of creating as much of a home advantage as possible – the final at the OPAP Arena will be played around 10 miles from Olympiacos’ home ground, the Karaiskakis Stadium.

Top stories

UCL Talk: Hear what Real Madrid said Jude Bellingham It is Antonio Rudiger and Borussia Dortmund Mats Hummels It is Gregor Kobel before the Champions League final on Saturday.

Road to Wembley: Here’s a ranking of Real Madrid’s 14 Champions League titles so far and a look at Gregor Kobel’s importance to Dortmund.

You are hired: Barcelona have appointed Hansi Flick as their new manager, while Vincent Kompany has officially taken charge of Bayern Munich and Enzo Maresca is getting closer to becoming Chelsea’s new manager.

Latest NWSL news: The progress report is strong on the rebuilding Orlando Pride and less than ideal for the Utah Royals, and the broadcast schedule has dropped the NWSL vs Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, with live coverage on CBS Sports platforms.

Cremaschi on Messi: American midfielder Ben Cremaschi talks about the impact Lionel Messi had on him at Inter Miami, saying Messi’s presence keeps him focused.

The back row

Best Bets

• UEFA Europa Conference League final: Olympiacos v Fiorentina, Wednesday, 3pm
  THE PICK: Fiorentina will win 1-0 (+700) – Both teams have averaged more than two goals per game in the Conference League this season and conceded more than one goal per game, so predicting a conservative scoreline could be risky here. This choice depends on intangible factors playing an important role on Wednesday, mainly Fiorentina’s complicated record in finals and the feeling of playing at Olympiacos’ home ground. The odds are in Fiorentina’s favor, so we hope they leave Greece with their first European trophy since 1961.

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